With over 60% of golf club members being over 50, Peter Dawson, a 69 year old British PGA Master Professional, former Ryder Cup player and one of Golf Monthly’s top 25 coaches, is out and about promoting his new book ‘Now for the back nine’ (www.nowforthebacknine.co.uk).
Dawson’s book is a heaven sent gift for the senior golfer - ie. players approaching or in their sixties and seventies and who form the financial backbone to so many golf clubs – to find ways to carry on enjoying their golf while having even more fun doing so.
Dawson himself had been struggling to swing the way he used to thanks to arthritis, two titanium knee replacements and a bad back. As he explained: “Generally speaking, I couldn’t do 50% of the things golfers – usually much younger and far more flexible! - are being taught. I was adapting my swing to the limitations that come with age, and began to realise no-one was offering golfers like myself ways to swing and turn more easily despite the restrictions imposed by bad backs and so on. That idea became my book.”
“It’s all about helping you adapt your swing using simple little tips like, for example, pointing your left foot more to the left to make it easier to extend through the hit into the follow through. And the same applies to the other foot for a longer backswing too!”
“But the book’s much more than just an instruction guide. In my career I met and played with some of the best known golfers of all time, and so my book’s full of quotes and anecdotes I gathered, and that only those of a certain maturity will appreciate!”
Dawson’s book is gathering momentum, getting 5 star reviews like this one in Amazon: “Over the years I have read many books on golf coaching, but this is far and away the best I have read. Whilst it is written specifically for the more mature golfer, many of the principles apply equally to golfers of all ages.
The author explains his teaching in an easy to understand style with numerous photographs and diagrams to reinforce the theory. Each chapter is interspersed with various quotes from famous people through the ages, not just golfers, which are both profound and inspiring.
There are several humorous anecdotes relating to the authors life whilst he was on the European tour and representing England/Ireland in the Ryder cup. When I started to read the book I couldn’t put it down, it is a compelling read.”
Dawson’s also offering golf clubs the opportunity to promote his book alongside supporting their preferred charity, such as Chippenham GC and the UK Sepsis Trust, and Donnington GC and the Pelican Trust, with £5 per book sold. Signed copies of Peter Dawson’s ‘Now for the back nine’ are available from www.nowforthebacknine.co.uk, and his website can be found at www.peterdawsongolf.com.
About Peter Dawson
Born in Doncaster, Dawson was a member of the European Tour in the 1970s. His most consistent season by far was 1977, when he finished seventh on the European Tour Order of Merit, an achievement which earned him a place in the 1977 Ryder Cup and becoming the first left-handed European to play in the competition. He also represented England in the World Cup that year partnering (Sir) Nick Faldo.
Since 1981 he was the golf director and club professional in Hardelot France, and then Penina and Sao Lorenzo, Portugal. He coached the national teams in Denmark (where his students included Thomas Bjørn), Switzerland and Morocco.
After turning 50, he played several seasons on the European Seniors Tour, with his best finish of 2nd after a playoff at the Tournament Players Championship at the Belfry. He now continues to enjoy his golf, taking more time to enjoy the scenery, the views and the occasional flush strike, and a lot less focus on the hard work of using a pencil and card!